Need some low light shooting tips

[Cashcow]

DD's have a dance recital this weekend so I was going to try and get some pics with my D50. I'm sure lighting is going to be minimal and I won't be close enough (nor would I want to distract anyone) to use a flash.

The "fastest" lens I have is a 50mm 1.8. The problem is that 50mm is not going to be long enough from where I will be sitting so I may have to do some significant cropping.

Aside from having to shoot at 1.8 and 1600 iso (worst case scenario) what's the slowest shutter I can go to and not have blurry dancers? If I crop 1600 ISO pics are they going to be a mess?

Should I try exposure bracketing?

Also, I plan to shoot RAW, but I've never really tried to clean up high ISO shots with elements. Is it tough to do?

Anyone have some low light tips??? (cough) Kelly (cough)

TIA!!!

 

[MICKEY88]

first thing I would do is contact the dance studio, my experience with dance studios has been, that they do not allow any photography or video taping of the actual recital, at best they allow parents to photograph or videotape the dress rehearsal, with rehearsals I used flash,

of course what I did was arranged to shoot the rehearsal for the studio, giving them a free set of prints, and having 20x30 foamcore with 4x6 prints mounted on it, out in the hallway the nights of the actual recitals, pics were all numbered and parents could order copies from me, by doing this, I made sure the studio allowed me to be right down front getting the best shots possible..

at 1600 you might be able to get away with a zoom. it depends on how much lighting they use..

after further review...

I have an exposure dial, that lists tough lighting situations, and they list HS stages... at 1600 iso they have f2.8 at 1/60...which isn't going to freeze fast dance movements

your best shot without flash is a good seat, a really steady hand, and knowing the dance routine, there are always points in a dance routine that the movement is slower, and that's the best time to shoot...


one thing you might be able to do, if your DD's aren't in the first few dances, practice on those, trying different settings....

another possibility, if the lighting is too low is to set your exposure for -1 which is pretty much the same as pushing your iso to 3200

 

[NJDad18]

I shoot my daughter during her gymnastics meets without a flash. I use a 85 1.8 lens. I also have the 50 1.8 but I usually am not able to get close enough to use that lens. Some gyms are like dungeons and some are not too bad. I normally shoot at 800 or 1600 and the shutter speed needs to be at least 1/250 to stop a 9 year old gymnast. If she is doing a tumbling pass 1/250 is nowhere near fast enough to stop the action.

The big thing to clean up these pictures is you will have digital noise so you will need a noise reduction program. You can get a trial version of neat image which works just fine. This will remove the graininess of the pictures.

I have never shot dancing so I can only tell you what I know about gymnastics which does have similar lighting.

 

[Kelly Grannell]

for high energy dances you'll need easily 1/600 to 1/800 shutter speed.

 

[JR6ooo4]

another last chance option, after applying all the good advice above, learn the choreography and shoot when there are slight pauses. Like between moves or at the very end of a routine. Often you well get arm and leg blurr but that only adds to the moment as long as the face is clear.
Mikeeee

 

[Cashcow]

Thanks for your help everyone. MY DD's are both young and this is tap/ballet so it should be a "low speed" performance. I am hoping to get a few decent shots.

Looks like I'll need a lens upgrade when they get to the high energy stuff though.